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Napoleon Dynamite
Directed by Jared Hess. Story: The Idaho High School Nerd Show. Running Time: 1hr 22 minutes. Certificate PG.
Every so often a movie shows up that is so quirky, so self-effacing and so simple that it's a joy to watch. Napoleon Dynamite is such a film and boy, is it quirky.
Napoleon Dynamite is a wonderfully uplifting, nice, family-friendly movie (the most offensive word is "fricking") that shows us the potential of all of us and the ability for even the most outcast to find their niche in life. At least, that's what I saw. Maybe it was really just a few dorks having a laugh. Whichever it was, it's great fun and I recommend it to all free-thinking adults. Oh, and don't leave before the credits - there's a full five minutes left after they finish! I enjoyed this film: I think the average moviegoer will enjoy it: Testosterone Satisfaction Rating: Still great though. To enjoy this film you should: contain a little closet dork.
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Cast: No-one you've heard of - Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Aaron Ruell, Jon Gries, Tina Majorino,
Diedrich Bader, Sandy Martin.
Napoleon Dynamite is the name of the lead character, possibly the biggest high school nerd ever invented. Dull in the eyes,
stylistically, linguistically and cerebrally challenged, Napoleon has no discernible redeeming features whatsoever -
yet the movie is such that the viewer warms to the horrid little tit and we want to keep watching. Napoleon's brother
Kip is no better, so it's no surprise that their parents are nowhere in sight. It'd take a mighty strong character to
be able to live with yourself after watching the fruits of your loins develop all the charm and appeal of a haemorrhoid
exhibition. Along the way, Napoleon hooks up with new boy Pedro, a similarly dull-eyed and uncharismatic chap, but
without the crippling personality cataracts. Napoleon and Pedro are a hoot together, though I'm not sure why.
There's a touch of Derek and Clive in their flat monotone delivery, but there aren't any actual jokes - the comedy
is in the surrealness and the cringeworthiness of the nerds, with the odd funny situation thrown in.
Nothing much happens to speak of, we simply follow the lives of these social misfits and laugh at how socially inept
they are. Then the equally dweeby (but curiously cute) Deb enters their lives and causes ripples - though you'd
hardly notice. That's the
fun of these deadpan characters, they take everything so calmly while all the emotions are going on underneath -
the polar opposite to your average movie character. The acting is so convincing that it's inconceivable that there
isn't at least a little of the characters in the actors - which I guess means there's hope for us all yet, even those
that do nerdy stuff like write movie reviews for web sites (ahem). If Napoleon and Kip Dynamite can be movie stars,
you or I could be President of Moldavia.
